Elon Musk-founded Starlink, which lacks a license in Myanmar, is being used extensively in the illegal online scam industry that has flourished in border areas since the pandemic, shows an AFP investigation.
Despite previous crackdowns on scammers, new centers are being quickly set up with Starlink devices installed on the roofs. The US Congress has launched an investigation into Starlink's possible connection to the activities, but Elon Musk cannot be forced to testify.
According to the UN's drug and crime agency, Southeast Asian scam operations swindled 348.5 billion kronor in 2023. Myanmar has become a hub for online scam activities, but centers are also found in other parts of the region.
Last week, Cambodia deported 64 South Koreans suspected of involvement in cyber scams. The scam centers are an important part of Myanmar's black economy, along with narcotics and mining activities, and finance armed groups in the country's civil war.
